Flow control in subterranean wells

• US 10,513,653 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Original Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Inventors: Schultz, Roger L., Watson, Brock W., Ferguson, Andrew M., Funkhouser, Gary P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani Leff, Angela M
• Application Number:
  US15/622,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20170275961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 166192, 166193, 166284
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/62 Compositions for forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/68 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/20 Flexible or articulated drilling pipes , e.g. flexible or articulated rods, pipes or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/06 Sleeve valves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/261 Separate steps of (1) cementing, plugging or consolidating and (2) fracturing or attacking the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/263 using explosives

Abstract

A flow conveyed plugging device for use in a well, the device can include a body, and one or more lines extending outwardly from the body, each of the lines having a lateral dimension that is substantially smaller than a size of the body. A method of plugging an opening in a well can include deploying at least one flow conveyed plugging device into the well, the flow conveyed plugging device including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of: a) one or more fibers and b) one or more lines, the flow conveyed plugging device being conveyed by flow in the well into sealing engagement with the opening. Another flow conveyed plugging device can include a body, and fibers extending outwardly from the body. The flow conveyed plugging device degrades and thereby permits flow through an opening in the well.

Claims

1. A method of plugging an opening in a subterranean well, the method comprising:

deploying at least one flow conveyed plugging device into the well, the flow conveyed plugging device including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of;

a) one or more fibers and b) one or more lines;

the flow conveyed plugging device being conveyed by flow in the well into sealing engagement with the opening;

a knot of the body blocking flow through the opening; and

the at least one of the group consisting of the one or more fibers and the one or more lines degrading in the well.

2. A plugging device for use in a subterranean well, the plugging device comprising:

a body configured to engage and substantially block flow through an opening in the well; and

a retainer containing the body, the retainer comprising a flexible membrane spaced apart from the body,

in which the body comprises at least one knot.